


Snapshots from the Airport

by weatherworn



Category: K-pop, NCT (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-10
Updated: 2017-01-10
Packaged: 2018-09-16 12:35:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9272069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/weatherworn/pseuds/weatherworn
Summary: Taeil spends a lot of time in airport and airport adjacent places.





	

**Author's Note:**

> this fic was brought to you by [this wonderful series of pics](http://imgur.com/a/SAxfi). I also played with the headcanon of Taeil being uncomfortable with the kind of scrutiny that idol life entails because he's a shy bean (i am referencing this term from someone *glares at them* you know who you are). This note is turning out longer than the fic itself. Sorry.

1.

The first time it happens, Taeil almost jumps out of his skin.

They've been waiting to go through security at the airport and the line has not moved for the last thirty minutes. To make sure they get to their destination on time, while also taking into consideration delays at the airport, it's customary for the manager hyungs to wake everyone up at 4:30 in the morning to get ready. It took Taeil some time to get used to it. Before debuting, he had thought 7:30 was early enough.

Some are better than others at acclimating to the brutal schedules when they travel. Ten looks fresh as a daisy and chatting with one of the manager hyungs, clutching his Thai passport. Sensibly, he goes to bed early on the nights before traveling, but he's lucky because he goes right to sleep once his head hits the pillow. It's a skill many in the group envy, including Taeil himself. Jaehyun and Doyoung are sequestered to Taeil's right, on a separate line, and they're looking at their cell phones, exchanging comments every so often when they wanted to share something with the other. Jaehyun has to pull down his black cloth mask every time he needs to say something and it's kind of hilarious in a way. Taeil blames it on the early hour.

Taeil is distracted trying to keep track of the rest of the members, so when he feels the sensation of a head thudding against the back of his neck and shoulder, the contact soften by the hoodie Taeil is wearing, his whole body goes rigid with shock. He's about to whip around to see who knocked into him, but then he hears a familiar voice, tinged with sleepiness. He relaxes immediately.

"I would pay a million dollars for a bed right now," Taeyong whispers into Taeil's hoodie, Taeil almost unable to catch it because it's so low. Sensing that Taeil doesn't seem to have a problem with being used as a pillow, Taeyong adjusts his position so that his forehead lays even more firmly between Taeil's shoulder blades. Taeil feels the weight, but it doesn't feel intrusive. In fact, Taeil finds the steady cadence of Taeyong's breathing calming.

Taeyong stays until the queue finally starts up again.

 

2.

The second time it happens, it's not with Taeil. In fact, it's with everyone _except_ Taeil.

They're waiting in the seating area for the flight to board. Taeil had situated himself near the charging stations, because he's currently on a roll with Superstar SMtown and the coffee he just drank is fueling his maniacal obsession to collect all the cards.

Bleary eyed, he takes a break from the game to look around him. Everyone is scattered around the waiting area. Minhyung is by himself in front of the large glass pane windows, listening to music on his headphones. He catches Taeil looking at him and waves with a big grin, every bit the kid he isn't when he's on stage.

He catches sight of Taeyong trying to make himself comfortable on Yuta's shoulder, but Yuta has a habit of constantly gesticulating when he's chatting with Donghyuk, so Taeyong keeps getting jostled around. Taeil stifles a laugh and watches as Taeyong swings like an upside down pendulum to the other side, onto Sicheng's shoulder. Sicheng is more stationary, reading something on his cell phone, but he startles when Taeyong settles his head onto his shoulder and Taeil can see him visibly trying not to move, like the good dongsaeng he is. Taeyong is comfortable for about five seconds and then he lifts his head from Sicheng's shoulders to whisper something into his ear. Sicheng grimaces and laughs and winds up looking sheepish when Taeyong reinstates his head on his shoulder, but he looks more relaxed and goes back to looking at his cell phone.

The next time Taeil lifts his head from Superstar SMtown, it's finally time to board. He glances back at Sicheng and Taeyong to make sure they are aware it's time to go, only to find Sicheng by himself, gathering up his belongings.

"Ready to go?" Taeyong asks to Taeil's right, seemingly appearing like an apparition.

"Yeah," Taeil says. "You look well-rested."

Taeyong smiles and hooks his arm around Taeil's. "And you look a little manic. I think you need to lay off the game a little bit. Come on, let's go."

 

3.

The third time it happens, Taeil is totally prepared for it.

They're on another security line, Taeil's hands itching to pull out his cell phone for another round of Superstar SMtown to occupy his time. He hears sniffling behind him and then a familiar pressure between his shoulder blades.

"You sleep everywhere except on your own bed," Taeil remarks.

"Why do you say that?" Taeyong asks, shuffling closer to make room for Donghyuk and Minhyung behind him, which causes the line of their bodies to meet at every point. Taeil can hear Minhyung trying to help Donghyuk practice his English.

"Minhyung, how do you say 'I am NCT 127's handsome maknae' in English?"

"I thought _I_ was NCT 127's handsome maknae!"

Taeil lowers his head and smiles. "I listened to the broadcast where you imitated my sleeping noises. How can you know that if you weren't still awake?"

Taeyong huffs out a laugh against Taeil's jacket collar. "I think it's cute. Do you remember what you were dreaming about?"

"Honestly, I have no idea," Taeil admits. "Maybe some nice juicy steaks or something. I'm always starving when I wake up."

 

4.

They're on the return flight back to Korea when the manager hyung informs them that they need a few extra minutes of footage for the next variety show they were filming. They assign Jaehyun to man the handheld camera and go around the cabin to each member and have them say something.

Taeil thinks this is going to be a problem because Taeyong is currently snoring softly on his shoulder and Jaehyun is already making his way over to them.

"Awww, look at our Taeyong hyung sleeping," Jaehyun says quietly for the camera, aiming it at them. "I don't think there's a shoulder he hasn't slept on among us members, but I think his favorite is Taeil hyung's." He grins and winks at Taeil from behind the camera.

"Yeah, this is prime real estate, right here," Taeil says, playing it up for the camera. Taeyong keeps on snoring. Taeil thinks they're going to add cat whiskers and ears on Taeyong in the editing room.

They do.

 

5.

Having cameras, nice EXPENSIVE worth-more-than-his-first-paycheck cameras, pointing at him from all directions everywhere they go is something that Taeil has been warned about when he entered the industry, but no amount of warning can prepare anyone for the reality of it. He's told to ignore them, pretend they're not there, keep walking, but Taeil feels self-conscious and overwhelmed all the same. Even when he doesn't see them, he knows they're there. He's gotten used to a lot of things since he started training, things he never thought he would be comfortable with, and he's willing to do everything because performing is worth it. But attention from the stage is different than when it's right in your face.

Taeil remembers one time he was exiting the hotel they were staying in in Bangkok. It was early in the morning, but the fans were already stationed in front of the hotel. He had had trouble sleeping the night before and felt especially shitty, and probably looked just as bad. He lowered his head and made a beeline for the van that would take them back to the airport. He could hear the snapping of the cameras, there's one behind him too, and the excited murmurs of the fans.

He didn't realize he's walking behind Taeyong until Taeyong reached a hand out without looking back, extended for Taeil to take. Acutely aware of the camera behind him, Taeil nudged his hand against Taeyong's, letting him know he's there. Seemingly pacified by this, Taeyong dropped his hand again.

 

6.

Taeil doesn't totally relax until the front door of the dorm closes behind him. He also doesn't realize how on edge he is until his flops face down onto his bed, tension leeching out of his body. He leaves his luggage by the foot of the bed, unopened. This is the only space he knows the prying eyes of the cameras and adoring public hasn't reached yet.

He hears Taeyong enter the room and start moving around within it, picking up things here and there.

"I don't know how one person can make such a mess," Taeyong remarks, but there's no bite in his voice, just amusement. "When he's not even around that much to make the mess."

"It's a true talent," Taeil agrees. He feels the bed dip and then Taeyong's fingers smoothing down his hair. He pushes into the touch, the last bits of tension remaining in his body seeping away with each stroke.

"Tired?" Taeyong murmurs. Taeil nods and uses the last shreds of energy to swing his head onto Taeyong's lap.

This, Taeil gets to have for himself as he feels Taeyong resume running his fingers through his hair.


End file.
